Infant&#39;s convertible chair bed



Dec. 19, 1967 B. SCHIFFMAN INFANTS CONVERTIBLE CHAIR BED Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BERNARD SCHIFFMAN Filed Nov. 12 1965 ATTORNEY.

Dec. 19, 1967 I B. SCHIFFMAN 3,359,035

INFANT'S CONVERTIBLE CHAIR BED Filed Nov. 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I lllllllllll/IIIIIII 1 INVENTOR BERNARD SCHIFFMAN BY M ATT RNEY.

United States Patent 3,359,035 INFANTS CONVERTIBLE CHAIR BED Bernard Schifiman, River-dale, N.Y., assignor of one-half to Zelda Schiffman, New York, N.Y. Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 322,798 2 Claims. (Cl. 297-317) This is a continuation-in-part application of the application Ser. No. 91,346, filed Feb. 24, 1961, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to infants chair-beds and more particularly to improvements in mechanism for the convertibility and adjustment of the chair-bed to function selectively as a chair or a bed.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an infants chair-bed which may be readily and economically constructed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide easy convertibility of the chair-bed from a sitting position to a sleeping position.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for sustaining the body supporting panels of the device in respect to the side panels.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a body panel supporting mechanism which will securely maintain the body supporting panels in either of the two functional positions.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a function convertibility mechanism for the device which serves to support each of the individual body panels, as well as the two body panels as a unit.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a chair-bed device and a converting mechanism therefor, which is constructed of a minimum number of very simple elements.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a convertible chair-bed, which comprises two lateral and two body supporting panels, and a supporting bracket for each of the body supporting panels which also serves to rigidly space the two lateral panels. These spacing and supporting brackets cooper-ate with retaining members mounted for co-action therewith on the respective body panels, while a centrally disposed hanger supported by the two side panels is rotatably mounted adjacent a hinge connecting the two body panels and adapted to bear the load on the body panels both in the bed and the chair positions. The disposition of the supporting or spacing brackets is such as to result in an optimum angle for the body panels in the chair position.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective side view of the chair-bed device showing the body supporting panels in an inclined or chair position; 7

FIG. 2 is a section along the lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the device of FIG. 1 showing the body supporting panels in a bed or horizontal position;

FIG. 4 is a section along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the arrangement of the various elements forming the supporting and adjusting mechanisms of the device in their relative positions, the panels having been omitted for the purpose of better demonstration; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views of two alternative arrangements designed to lock the panels in their horizontal or sleeping position.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 5, the convertible chair-bed comprises two side panels 1 and 2, a back supporting panel 3 and a seating panel 4.

The side panels 1 and 2 are spaced apart from each other by means of metal brackets 5 and 6 of preferably U-shape, which are secured by means of fastenings, such as screws or bolts 7, 8, 9 and 10 to the side panel 1 and by means of similar fastenings 11, 12, 13 and 14 to the side panel 2.

The body supporting panels 3 and 4 are connected at their engaging ends by means of a hinge 15 disposed along a line at right angles to the side panels. The two body supporting panels 3 and 4 are swingable in longitudinal direction about pivots 16 and 17 disposed in the side panels 1 and 2. A supporting member 18 of preferably U-shape comprises a metal rod disposed adjacent and secured to the supporting panels 3 and 4 by means of clips 21, which surround the metal rod and are secured to the seating panel 4. The metal rod has lateral extensions 19 and 29, which constitute the leg members of the U, and the ends of the extensions 19 and 20 are mounted for rotation in the pivots 16 and 17 of the side panels '1 and 2. The main or straight portion of the sup porting member 18 is, thus, secured to the seating panel 4 alongside and parallel to the hinge 15 by means of the two clips 21. The clips 21 permit free rotation of the supporting member 18. Two retaining brackets 22 and 23 are secured to the bottom face of the supporting panels 3 and 4 and have a flat U shape. They are secured by means of screws 24, 25, 26 and 27 extending through outwardly turned extensions 28 and 29 to the back supporting panels 3 and 4, respectively, so as to loosely retain the spacing and supporting brackets 5 and 6 therebetween.

In using the device, it will be noted that in the chair position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two body supporting panels 3 and 4 are disposed at an angle relative to each other with the apex at the hinge 15. The supporting member 18 is turned such, that the leg portions of the U-shape 18 are parallel and adjacent to the seating panel 4 so as to form a support therefor and also limiting the inclined position of the seating panel 4. The spacing brackets 5 and 6 can serve as additional supports for the panels 3 and 4.

The two brackets 5 and 6 are mounted at an angle to the floor or to an imaginary horizontal plane so that their projections in a vertical plane containing one of the side panels form an angle intersecting at a point 30 on a vertical 31 erected on the base line 32 and taken through the pivot 17. This arrangement is of particular usefulness to determine a favorable angle formed between the panels 3 and 4 inthe seating portion of the panels 3 and 4, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the conversion from the seating to the sleeping or horizontal position for the two panels, more specifically shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the supporting member 18 has been turned about the pivots 16- and 17 into a position wherein the leg portions of the U- shaped member 18 are in a position slightly set off the vertical position thereof in a direction toward the panel 4 and take a downward thrust of any load resting on the body supporting panels 3 and 4. The retaining brackets 22 and 23 are sufiiciently wide to permit the motion of the panels 3 and 4 in relation to the spacing and supporting brackets 5 and 6. In order to prevent a further longitudinal movement of the panels 3 and 4 after the supporting member has passed through and beyond the exact vertical position to a position shown in FIG. 4, in which the panels 3 and 4 are disposed in the same substantially horizontal plane, the base or cross member of the bracket 6 abuts the end of the bracket 23 closest to the supporting member 18. By such arrangement, no additional locking means are required to retain the panels 3 and 4 in the sleeping position, as shown in FIG. 4.

The danger of unexpected collapse of the panels 3 and 4 into the sleeping position is simultaneously prevented, since the supporting member 18 in its return movement has to move from its set-off position shown in full lines in FIG. 4 through the exact vertical position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, which requires at first a slight lifting of the panel members 3 and 4, which is prevented by the weight of the infant.

As it will appear more clearly in 'FIG. 6, the retaining brackets 22 and 23 may be modified and used to lock the bottom of the U-formed brackets and 6 to prevent any relative movement, as indicated in connection with the retaining bracket 22a with the spacing bracket 5. This is brought about by turning the leg portions of the bracket 22a inwardly toward each other to form extensions 33 and 34 to define a recess 35 of a length complementary to the width of the bracket 5 to receive the latter and thus locking the brackets 5 and 22a. The same arrangement can be made in connection with the brackets 6 and 23. This arrangement will preclude any undesired displacement or collapse of the panels 3 and 4 from the horizontal or sleeping position into the chair or seating position.

In the sleeping or horizontal position of the two panels 3 and 4, the body supporting unit formed thereby will be provided with a three-point support, namely along the tops of the two supporting and spacing brackets 5 and 6 and the supporting member 18.

In order to again convert the device from the sleeping to the seating function, an inward push on the outside edge of the seating panel 4 or an outward pull on the rear edge of the back panel 3 will effect a turning of the supporting member 18 toward and into the position indicated in FIG. 2, where the leg portions of the supporting member 18 form an angle a with the vertical 31. At the same time a movement takes place of the panels 3 and 4 with respect to the two supporting brackets '5 and 6, limited, however, within the confines of the retaining brackets 22 and 23.

By the provision of a body supporting panel sustaining mechanism, which includes only a single turning member, i.e., the supporting member 18, the manufacture and structure of the device has been greatly simplified and made more economical. It can be readily seen that the spacing brackets 5 and 6 perform a triple function, namely that of spacing and rigidly supporting the two lateral panels 1 and 2 with respect to one another, as well as to serve as a guide, together with the retaining brackets 22 and 23 for the respective inward and outward movements of the body supporting panels 3 and 4; in addition to which the two brackets 5 and 6 act as a supplementary support for the two panels in the seating as well as in the sleeping position.

Another embodiment of the locking means is disclosed in FIG. 7, where spring biased latching rods 36 and 37 are secured to the back panel 3 adjacent the hinge 15. These rods 36 and 37 coact with suitable apertures or recesses 36 and 37, respectively, in the side panels 1 and 2. This arrangement lends itself to a structure, wherein the supporting member 18 has been omitted.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. A convertible chair bed comprising two side panels,

a back panel and a seat panel, said back and seat panels being adjustably disposed between said side panels,

hinge means disposed between one end of said back panel and a proximate end of said seat panel and arranged in a plane perpendicular to said side panels, so that said back and seat panels can assume selectively a coplanar position and a position angularly related to each other, respectively,

means for firmly maintaining said side panels at a predetermined distance from each other, comprising two spaced brackets rigidly secured to, and each having a single cross member disposed between, said side panels one below each of said back and seat panels, said cross members simultaneously serving as the means to firmly space theside panels and each to support one of said back and seat panels for slidable and pivotable motion thereon,

means secured to the bottom of each of said back and seat panels and crossing each of said cross-members such that each of the latter is disposed between one of said last preceding means and the bottom face of one of said back and seat panels in a relation permitting said slidable and pivotable motion and to limit said slidable motion, and

means in conjunction with said last named means for limiting the movement of and holding said back and seat panels in each of said coplanar and angular relations to each other.

2. The convertible chair bed, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said last named means comprises a member of substantially U shape with lateral extensions at the ends of the legs of the U, the lateral extensions being pivoted at said side panels, the cross member of the U being proximate to the proximate ends of said back and seat panels,

means to pivotally secure said cross member of the U References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1950 Aries 297-343 5/1955 Lindroth 297-343 11/1956 Thal 537 3/ 1960 Welsh 297-322 8/1962 Rosenthal 297-320 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,239,186 7/1960 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

F. K. ZUGEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONVERTIBLE CHAIR BED COMPRISING TWO SIDE PANELS, A BACK PANEL AND A SEAT PANEL, SAID BACK AND SEAT PANELS BEING ADJUSTABLY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SIDE PANELS, HINGE MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN ONE END OF SAID BACK PANEL AND A PROXIMATE END OF SAID SEAT PANEL AND ARRANGED IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SIDE PANELS, SO THAT SAID BACK AND SEAT PANELS CAN ASSUME SELECTIVELY A COPLANAR POSITION AND A POSITION ANGULARLY RELATED TO EACH OTHE, RESPECTIVELY, MEANS FOR FIRMLY MAINTAINING SAID SIDE PANELS AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER, COMPRISING TWO SPACED BRACKETS RIGIDLY SECURED TO, AND EACH HAVING A SINGLE CROSS MEMBER DISPOSED BETWEEN, SAID SIDE PANELS ONE BELOW EACH OF SAID BACK AND SEAT PANELS, SAID CROSS MEMBERS SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVING AS THE MEANS TO FIRMLY SPACE THE SIDE PANELS AND EACH TO SUPPORT ONE OF SAID BACK AND SEAT PANELS FOR SLIDABLE AND PIVOTABLE MOTION THEREON, 